United States or New Zealand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The frenzy with which he was seized at this lamentable sight endowed him with a giant's strength; but it was exerted in vain to free himself from his enemies, all of whom seemed to experience a barbarous delight at his struggles, some encouraging him, with loud laughter and in broken English, to continue them, while others taunted and scolded at him more like shrewish squaws than valiant warriors, assuring him that they were great Shawnee fighting-men, and he a little Long-knife dog, entirely beneath their notice: which expressions, though at variance with all his preconceived notions of the stern gravity of the Indian character, and rather indicative of a roughly jocose than a darkly ferocious spirit, did not prevent their taking the surest means to quiet his exertions and secure their prize, by tying his hands behind him with a thong of buffalo hide, drawn so tight as to inflict the most excruciating pain.
"No, Long-Knife will not do this; Chint-zille should never be the wife of the man she does not love." The old chief pleaded for a long time with the trader to take the girl and give him the liquid, but the trader was inexorable; he would not form any such tangling alliance, so the old chief failed to get the liquor, and he left the house with mortification and shame depicted on his withered face.
The bolo or long-knife, a basket, a hoe, complete the implements, and answer all the purposes of our spades, etc. The buffalo was used until within a few years exclusively in their agricultural operations, and they have lately taken to the use of the ox; but horses are never used.
"Bime-by, come to river and find canoe jump in and paddle fas'; bime-by, 'gain, stop paddling and laugh and shake fist this way, and say 'God-damn." By this I knew that Jennifer had escaped; nay, more; had somehow learned of my escape and was seeking me. "Is that all the chief saw?" I asked. "Ugh! See heap more things: see one thing white squaw no let him tell Captain Long-knife.
After closely covering the chimney, by the aid of some half-rotten chips a dense smoke was raised, the doors and windows being closed at the same time to prevent its escape, and in an instant the apartment became filled to the point of suffocation too much so for the Indians, who gladly made a precipitate retreat. They were told it was the "Long-Knife Medicine."
Catch um white squaw firs'; then blow um up Chelakee camp and catch um Captain Jennif' and Captain Long-knife if can. Heap do firs' thing firs', and las' thing las'. Wah!" It was the longest speech this devoted ally of ours was ever known to make; and having made it he went dumb again save for his urgings of us forward. But presently both he and I had our hands full with the poor lad.
"Brudder!" growled the savage, and the foam flew from his grinning lips, advanced until they were almost in contact with the soldier's face "Brudder!" he cried, as he felt his triumph, and twined his arms still more tightly around Roland's frame, "Long-knife nothing! hab a scalp, Shawnee!"
The victory was, indeed, so complete, and as it appeared that several bands of warriors from more distant villages were in the town at the time of the attack the blow inflicted upon the tribe so much severer than was anticipated even from a series of attacks upon several different towns, as was at first designed, that the victors, satisfied that they had done enough to convince the red-man of the irresistible superiority of the Long-knife, satisfied, too, perhaps, that the cheapness of the victory rendered it more valuable than a greater triumph achieved at a greater loss, gave up at once their original design of carrying the war into other villages, and resolved to retrace their march to the Settlements.
"She send 'um word; say 'good by," he repeated. "What else did she say?" I demanded. "No say anyt'ing else: say 'good by." He turned upon me at that and I saw why he had kept his face averted. He had on the war paint of a Cherokee chief. "Uncanoola good Chelakee now," he grinned. "Help redcoat soldier find Captain Long-knife. Wah!"
He described in glowing terms the fertility of Kentucky, exhorting them to recover it from the grasp of the Long-knife before he should be too strong for them. This speech met with the cordial approbation of the company; the army soon after took up its march for the settlements.
Word Of The Day